Shock report – ageing population will cripple care

Looking after a rapidly ageing population will put Britain’s social care service into an unsustainable crisis by 2030.

That’s the cheery news from think tank, the Institute for Public Policy Research, which claims a £13billion shortfall on an estimated care budget of £21billion will emerge as the population of over-65s increases by almost a third – from 11.6million to 15.4million in 2030.

Over the same period, it has been estimated that Britain’s foreign aid budget will have risen from £12billion to an astonishing £19billion, sparking demands for ministers to divert payments to overseas governments into tackling the UK’s growing problems at home.

The IPPR report is a bleak read, with the consequences of such a massive shortfall in social care funding, creating huge pressure on the NHS.

I need cake and a chocolate biscuit and I’m not through with this piece just yet.

The report concludes: “On current trends, adult social care is unsustainable.”

It goes on to warn that the so-called ‘oldest old’ – those aged over 85 – will almost double by 2030.

Simultaneously, the number of people needing daily help to wash, feed or clothe themselves is also set to double to two million, while the number of over-65s with dementia will rise by 80 per cent.